


Feeling Tired, Feeling Beaten

by ladyofdecember



Category: South Park
Genre: Angst, Developing Relationship, Kyle and Stan, M/M, Mentions of past "Style" relationship, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-25 04:32:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12523032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: Takes place during The Fractured But Whole. Kyle feels betrayed by Cartman's apparent involvement with crime in the town of South Park. Human Kite confronts The Coon in an attempt to lay it all on the line.





	Feeling Tired, Feeling Beaten

**Author's Note:**

> This was my best attempt at putting together all of the emotions and frustrations I think Kyle is feeling during the game. In my mind, I really do believe that Kyle and Cartman have sort of shifted their relationship and dynamic from a dislike/only sometimes friendship to a more, deeper connection. It seems that most of the time now Kyle is spending less time with Stan and more time with Cartman. I hoped to try to capture that whole feeling of betrayal he would be (and I think he is) feeling in the game when they learn the truth about the Mayor's race and all that.

He sat, unmoving, nearly unblinking perched atop his rooftop at near sunset. He glared at nothing in particular, feeling perturbed by the recent events and revelations the gang had stumbled upon. Cartman was at it again, fucking things up for everyone because of course he was.

Kyle sighed woefully, thinking about all the ways the fatass had tricked him over the years. Why was he always so blind to it? Like, he always assumed everyone had the best intentions when they went out in the world. No one meant to cause others harm except in very rare cases, right? But that didn't apply to Cartman. He shouldn't. Why did he fall for his schemes every single time?

...

Human Kite stood, staring blankly towards the trees in the distance. His expression betrayed the emotions threatening to erupt from underneath, his green eyes filled with blurry tears.

Cartman's betrayal towards Coon & Friends wasn't just about the betrayal itself but rather a symbolic thing. For months now, Cartman and he had been growing closer, as strange as it sounds. Their insults seemed to have less sting to them, their fights more mellow, more like playful banter than any real disagreements.

With Stan spending more and more time alone or with Wendy, he'd begun to stray a little from their tight “core four” group. Even Kenny had found better things to do than hang around with them all the time. None of them had really been able to put their finger on just where he was spending all this time but with the whole superhero thing coming about, they had felt foolish not to realize it before. Of course Kenny was busy all the time now, he was out “saving the world” as Mysterion, even though in reality that just meant protecting his sister and others like her from bullies.

With their normal gang now drastically cut in half, Kyle and Cartman had continued spending the same amount of time together playing video games, going to the movies, whatever. It hadn't seemed odd to Kyle at first, in fact, it almost seemed... better somehow.

Maybe that had been his first mistake, not questioning whether he should allow himself to get so close to the fatass. It was no secret that he and Cartman had been friends for a very long time, but that term had been loosely used, never fully adopted, at least on Kyle's side.

Cartman had changed... hadn't he? He was better now, less... angry, less manipulative... right?

Human Kite swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling angry and sick all at once. He scoffed quietly as he let his mind think about all the things he'd quietly “let go” when they were together with the Coon & Friends. 

Stan had left, infuriated, along with the others and had cast him one last look that said it all, “You chose him?”. Now, he'd wished he'd hadn't. If he'd quickly deserted from Cartman's side from the beginning, maybe none of this would be happening.

The Coon stood across from him, just staring, unsure of what to do or say. Normally, whenever Kyle was getting all riled up at something, he just needed a minute to get his emotions in check and then they'd be all good again. But, this time seemed different somehow.

"You just... you never change, you know?"

"What?" Cartman barked, feeling more and more puzzled by the minute.

"It's always the same with you. You always... do... this!" Kyle shook his head to try to clear some of the tears away but it proved too difficult. As a last resort and not wanting to seem too vulnerable in the moment, he angrily wiped at his face in frustration. He couldn't believe he was in this situation and it was so stupid that he was crying. He felt like he was in one of those stupid, teen angst dramas on TV or something!

"Kyle-" The fat boy began in that long drawl he always used just for his name especially but was cut off with a near shriek by the redhead instead.

"No! No, I don't want to hear it, you fucking fatass! I am so sick of sticking up for you only to have my good name shoved through the mud along with yours! It's not fair!"

He began to pace, unsure of what to do with this pent up, hostile energy that was threatening to spew out everywhere.

The Coon just nodded faintly, accepting his fate easily to be ranted and raved at by his favorite jew. Kyle did this often, it was just something he had to get out of his system. He'd be fine again in a few moments, nonplussed and back to normal. This was no big deal. He did this all the time after all.

Human Kite ceased his movements finally, coming face to face with him once again. He looked... tired. And something more it seemed. A little broken too. The costumed Coon blinked in confusion but didn't have time to interject before his friend began once again.

"You know... it's really my fault! I'm the one who never learns. I just... I keep thinking things'll change and that's my mistake." He shrugged helplessly, no longer able to meet the boy's eyes fully. "I'm done."

The Coon watched as the boy began to march off in the direction of their houses and called out in confusion. Receiving no response from the retreating figure, his stance quickly turned towards his signature emotion, anger. "Oh! Okay! So, the “Human Tool” can just do whatever he wants and you don't say anything but with me, I'm out of line, is that it?!”

Kyle spun around and was back on him in an instant, eyes full of fire. "Would you cut the shit?! Jesus! I... I can't fucking believe you, fatass! I can't trust you, I can trust Stan!" 

"Oh, oh really? He walked out on Coon & Friends. He's a traitor, Kyle! You know it! And I know it!"

"You keep acting like you're in competition with Stan!” Kyle chuckled darkly, eyes flashing with emotion. “Newsflash, fatass! You're not! You... you never were!"

The words hung heavily in the air, seeming to float just above them. The pale autumn sky was silent, as if time seemed to stop. The redheaded boy swallowed hard, wishing he could take back the words he'd launched so carelessly between them. Now everything seemed so clear to both of them. Cartman narrowed his eyes in suspicion, unable to believe such a thing just outright. 

Time stood still, each of them glancing at the other fretfully, neither willing to make a sudden move. 

Finally, Human Kite found the courage to break their formation. He turned to go but paused just a few steps away. He uttered over his left shoulder, voice full of emotion, feeling more dejected and disheartened than ever. "You're not in competition with Stan. You're in competition with yourself. And... you just lost."

Cartman stared at his retreating form, unable to believe the exchange they'd just had. His hands were beginning to grow numb from the cold, the metal he'd used for his claws amplifying the temperature ten-fold. The wind had picked up, blowing the autumn leaves around like a scene out of a movie.

For once, he couldn't find it in himself to appreciate the dramatic scenery of it all. Well, what do you know? Maybe things do change.


End file.
